A meeting was planned to discuss and possibly assemble the three crystal fragments but turned into a more general meeting when some were late to arrive. Folks were welcomed to convene at the Trade Post by Jubal Quintus.
To the interest and surprise of some, the Old Man, Gill, made the tiring journey (for an old one such as he), escorted to the Trade Post by Jubal. Other Wastelanders present during this meeting were Aposiopesis Fullstop, Raze Repine, Diamanda Gustafson, Gutterblood Spoonhammer, Pirate Graves, Jens Waco, Zeroyel Katsu , VoidTraveler Seetan, Kaenor Braveheart, and Dawnevea Destiny. The last four arriving at various points during the meeting.
Raze showed the old man a photograph of the three crystal fragments. Initially surprised at the existence of photography equipment in our parts, Gill nodded in confirmation of the evidence of larger crystal fragments, especially when Raze gave him one to examine.
The old man surprised all by telling that the crystals were the “memories from a rust man”, the strange metal masheen men created long ago. The “Tin Man”, as some of us call the being who maintains the salvage masheens, is one of these creatures. Gill then spun a tale of ancient times when there was more than one “rust man”…when they were slaves and warriors of the olden time people. Many questions were flung at the old man…some curious, some skeptical.
In the course of the questioning, the old man admitted that he had once dared to destroy a salvage masheen. Some think he’s referring to the Junk Yard salvager that was sabotaged several moons ago, but Gill neither confirmed or denied this.
((Editor’s Note: Perhaps he was referring to the old wreck of salvage masheen initially found at the bottom of the Fissure? Or the one near Fort Stygian that the Tin Man dug up? Or was he referring to events even further in the past? There are tales from before the founding of the Post-Apocalyptic Press about a Salvager War many years ago when tribes and clans fought for control of the masheens until the Tin Man arrived.))
As the meeting progressed, it became clear there were different ways to proceed, and more than one opinion on what outcome should be aimed for. Also it was made clear that the old man had no love for the tin man, or any of the rustmen… even frowning at the idea of building another one from the parts he has collected in his tent.
In the end and after some discussion, one fragment was given to the old man to examine for a day. He will see what kind of information he can extract from it.